Zoey turned, catching Harriet's amused grin as she stood holding Zoey's bag, completely unfazed by the curious stares of her coworkers.
"I told you not to drop me off here," Zoey muttered, her cheeks warming as she glanced around, sensing she'd just become the office's latest topic.
"And I told you, I want to. Let them be envious," Harriet replied with a grin, patting Zoey's head before leaning in, her voice low.
Zoey tried to push her away playfully. "Right, go on! Don't you have a meeting with Ms. Maggie?"
Harriet chuckled, stealing a quick peck on Zoey's lips. Zoey's eyes went wide. "Harriet!" she hissed, trying to keep her cool, hoping no one caught the moment.
"Just a little energy boost before work," Harriet said, pulling Zoey into a quick hug.
"Go," Zoey mumbled, pinching her lightly on the waist. Harriet just laughed, waving at her.
"See you later, sweetheart," Harriet said with a wink, turning and strutting off like she owned the place. Zoey shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips as she finally headed into the office.
Zoey set her bag aside and powered up her computer. She'd been out for a few days, and so had Harriet, who insisted on taking care of her. Zoey scoffed at the thought. Just how far was Harriet willing to go?
As her computer finished booting, she logged in, pulling up her to-do list and preparing her tablet for Riley's upcoming meeting with business partners. With Riley thriving, the workload had only intensifiedâespecially with new presentations to assemble.
Her phone chimed, interrupting her focus. It was a text from Riley. Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Why text when she can just call me on the intercom?" she mumbled, locking her computer and gathering her tablet and laptop. After securing her office, she headed to Maggie's.
Peeking through the glass door, she saw that Nyx and Riley were already there with Maggie. But where's Harriet? she wondered.
She entered, greeting them all politely. Maggie beamed back. "Good morning, Zoey!"
Zoey returned the smile, used to Maggie's vibrant energy. Wealth really does have its perks, she mused, watching how seamlessly the Pierce family managed their empire.
A knock drew everyone's attention. Harriet entered, balancing a tray of coffees. "Why am I always the one fetching drinks?" she grumbled, rolling her eyes before sitting next to Nyx. Harriet tilted her head, catching Zoey's gaze.
"Oh, you're here," Harriet said, a soft smile playing on her lips.
Nyx smirked, grabbing her coffee. "Look at thatâswitching from grumpy to gooey in a split second."
Harriet nudged Nyx but kept her eyes on Zoey, who quickly looked away, feeling the Pierce sisters' imposing presence. Together, they seemed untouchable, and Zoey couldn't help but admire just how much each of them had earned their place at the top.
Zoey sat across from Maggie, swallowing hard as she found herself directly facing Riley. They were in the smaller, private room inside Maggie's office, and the weight of the situation pressed on her shoulders. She gripped the tablet on her lap, glancing between the CEO and the President. Sitting here with them, she wondered if she'd done something wrongâcould it be about her relationship with Harriet?
Meanwhile, Harriet and Nyx waited outside Maggie's main office.
Sensing her nerves, Maggie offered a reassuring smile. "Relax, dear," she said gently. Zoey felt a pang of doubt. Does it have something to do with her dating Harriet?
"Zoey," Riley's voice broke through, waving her hand in front of her. Zoey blinked, looking up.
"I didn't... do anything wrong, right?" Zoey asked, her voice barely concealing her nerves as she rubbed her clammy palms together.
Riley laughed, shaking her head. "No, Zoey, you're not in trouble. Quite the opposite, actually." She exchanged a glance with Maggie before turning back to Zoey. "The President and I reviewed your performance over the past fiscal years," she said, gesturing to Maggie to continue.
"Yes," Maggie chimed in, her expression warm. "You've climbed your way up from an entry-level position to your current role as a secretary, and throughout those years, you've exceeded every expectation. You're proactive, dependable, and you handle every challenge with professionalism."
Zoey's face flushed. She nodded slightly, processing their words, still too taken aback to respond.
"Because of this, we've decided it's time for you to take the next step," Maggie continued, her voice bright with pride. "We're promoting you to Chief of Staff at BioSynthix Pharmaceuticals."
Stunned, Zoey blinked, glancing between the two. This wasn't typicalâpromotions usually happened mid-year or year-end. She swallowed, trying to comprehend. "Thank you for appreciating my efforts and all... truly, I'm honored," she began, hesitating. "But, isn't this a bit sudden?"
Riley leaned forward, her gaze steady. "It's based purely on your performance, Zoey. Out-of-cycle promotions are rare but not unheard of when someone consistently exceeds expectations. And just to be clear," Riley paused, studying her closely, "this has nothing to do with Harriet, if that's what you're wondering."
Zoey looked down, caught off guard by how well Riley read her. "Honestly? That's been on my mind. I don't want my co-workers to think this is favoritism because of Harriet, because I'm dating the daughter of the owner," she admitted softly.
Maggie and Riley shared a smile. "Harriet has nothing to do with this decision," Maggie assured her. "It's solely based on your efforts and contributions to the company. In fact, your promotion was approved not just by us, but by the board as well. So rest easy, Zoey. You've earned this, you deserve this."
Zoey took a breath, feeling her nerves melt into gratitude. This was realâher hard work was being recognized. "Thank you," she whispered, a small smile breaking through as she accepted the promotion with newfound confidence.
"You'll still be working closely with Riley as the company's CEO," Maggie continued. "The main expectation is for you to be the bridge between Riley and our various departments, ensuring smooth communication and coordination."
Maggie leaned back with a warm smile. "This promotion does come with extra responsibilities, but don't worryâwe've also arranged a significant salary increase along with additional bonuses and incentives. Your hard work has truly been exceptional, Zoey, and I'm confident you'll continue to excel in this new role."
Riley beamed at her. "Congratulations on your promotion, Zoey."
Zoey felt her cheeks warm as she managed a smile. She hadn't expected any of this. Sure, she'd hoped to start saving more to fund her own plans, but this promotion felt like the stars were aligning for her in ways she never anticipated.
As the three stepped out of the private room, Harriet and Nyx were still lounging casually, deep in conversation. Riley rolled her eyes. "Wow, must be nice to have so much free time. I'm a little jealous," she said, plopping herself between her sisters.
Harriet laughed, ruffling Riley's hair. "That's the price you pay for taking on the CEO title, little sis."
Riley leaned back with a dramatic sigh. "You know, you could've taken the CEO position instead."
"Hard pass," Harriet said with a grin, raising her hands in mock surrender.
Riley turned to Nyx. "And you?"
Nyx barely glanced up from her phone. "I'm perfectly contented as your fellow citizen. Besides, it's nice having you around to bail me out whenever I'm low on cash."
Riley sighed, turning to Maggie. "Mom, you really have to do something about these two," she said, half-pouting.
Maggie just shook her head, amused. "They're as they are. I think you're stuck with them like this."
Harriet laughed, standing up. "You know, Riley, it's not like you're the only one with endless responsibilities."
"Right," Nyx agreed, stifling a yawn. "Don't act like you're the only one bearing the weight of the world."
"You're right, Director of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery," Harriet teased, nudging Nyx.
"Oh, I can never go wrong, Medical Director of Cardiology," Nyx shot back, grinning.
Zoey glanced between the three sisters, a little taken aback, while Riley suddenly looked alarmed. "Waitâboth of you got promoted?"
Harriet chuckled. "Unfortunately, yes. We're all stuck with these new titles now."